The opportunity to personalize features in a mobile vehicle is ever increasing as the automobile is being transformed into a communications and entertainment platform as well as a transportation platform. Many new cars will be installed with some type of telematics unit to provide wireless communication and location-based services. These services may be accessed through interfaces such as voice-recognition computer applications, touch-screen computer displays, computer keyboards, or a series of buttons on the dashboard or console of a vehicle.
For example, a theft deterrent system for radios in vehicles is currently embedded in many base level radios and premium level radios with enhanced capabilities. The theft deterrent system includes an electrical communication from a vehicle master control module to the radio upon power-up of the vehicle. The electrical communication is used to verify that a vehicle identification number (VIN) embedded in the radio matches the vehicle identification number in the master control module. In many cases, the master control module is the vehicle body control module. Typically, the electrical communication is configured with a communication protocol over a vehicle serial communication bus such as J1850, CAN (Controller Area Network), MOST (Media Oriented System Transport), LIN (Local Interconnect Network), or Ethernet, among others.
If there is a mismatch between the VIN in the master control module and the radio, a diagnostic trouble code is set, the radio is locked and a message is displayed on the radio to indicate that the radio is locked. When the radio is locked, radio functions are disabled, such as responses to radio control pushbutton presses. Additionally, multimedia and infotainment functions, such as integrated cassette players, CD, DVD, display, and navigation functions are disabled. If a radio is moved from one car to another, as occurs when a radio is stolen from one vehicle and placed in another vehicle, the radio will not function in the new vehicle. Also, if the radio is programmed with the incorrect VIN, the radio in the vehicle will lock upon the vehicle ignition.
In order to unlock the locked radio, the user must take the radio to a vehicle dealership and prove ownership of the vehicle and the radio. The vehicle dealership then plugs a service tool into the data link connection to access the serial communication bus. The service tool transmits commands to the radio to reprogram the correct vehicle identification number into the radio. Upon the next ignition cycle, the VIN in the radio matches the vehicle identification number in the vehicle master control module and the radio unlocks.
In some cases, a user desires to lock and later unlock one or more vehicle functions. For example, user may desire to lock the vehicle ignition module when the user leaves the vehicle unattended for an extended period of time, in order to make it difficult for a thief to steal the vehicle.
It is desirable to provide a method and system to lock and unlock vehicle functions of various modules in a vehicle from a telematics unit in the vehicle.